Dropper cap for a bottle



1 April 1957 J. B. BIEDERMAN DROPPER' CAP FOR A BOTTLE Filed Dec. 8, 1955 INVENTOR. J0$EPH- B. BIIEDERMAN United States Patent DROPPER CAP FOR A BOTTLE Joseph B. Biederman, Cincinnati, Ohio Application December 8, 1953, Serial No. 396,841 2 Claims. Cl. 222-201 This invention relates to a cap construction for a bottle and to a cap which can be squeezed to cause delivery of a predetermined quantity of liquid from the bottle either in the form of drops or in a larger quantity.

An object of this invention is to provide a cap for a bottle which can be squeezed or deformed to cause decan be filled to hold a predetermined quantity of liquid,

so that, when the cap is squeezed sufficiently to expel all the liquid in the tube a predetermined quantity of liquid is delivered by the tube.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dropper cap having sides which may be pushed towards each other into engagement to eject a predetermined quantity of liquid through the tube thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dropper cap and sealing member for a bottle which is a single unitary member.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a bottle having a squeezable cap and a spout by means of which liquid may be dispensed in measured quantities therefrom.

The above and other objects and features of this invention will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which it pertains from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing a bottle on which is mounted a dropper cap which is constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section showing a portion of the bottle in inverted position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the cap partially squeezed to permit delivery of liquid from the tube thereof in the form of drops; and

Fig. 4 is a view in section showing a bottle to which is attached a dropper cap constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In Fig. 1, a medicine bottle 10, or the like, provided with a cap 14 is illustrated. The bottle may be formed of glass and contain a liquid as shown by level 14'. The bottle may be of the conventional open mouth type.

Cap member 14 is of dome-shape and attached to the mouth of the bottle. The cap 14 is provided with a hollow sleeve or boss 17 that communicates with an opening 16 in the apex of the dome.

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An elongated tubular member 18 extends through the opening 16 and sleeve 17. As shown, the interior of the sleeve 17 is provided with a plurality of ridges 18' to insure a liquid-tight seal between the tube 18 and the sleeve 17. The inner end of the tube 18 may be of funnel shape, as indicated at 19. The tubular member 18 may be pushed into the bottle or withdrawn therefrom sufficiently to dispose the tubular member with the funnel-shaped portion 19 above the level of liquid in the bottle 10 when the bottle is in the inverted position shown in Fig. 2.

When the bottle 10 is set upright and then inverted, the funnel-shaped member 19 is filled with liquid.

The dome-shaped member 14 and the tubular member 18 are formed of a flexible, plastic material, such as polyethylene, so that the dome-shaped member 14 may be squeezed, as indicated in Fig. 3, to deliver liquid from the tube 18 in the form of drops. The tube, the cap and the bottle are preferably all sufliciently transparent so that the liquid can be watched as it is delivered. If desired, the dome-shape member 14 may be squeezed sufficient-ly to cause delivery of the entire contents of the tube and of the funnel-shaped member 19. The funnelshaped member 19 may be calibrated so that a. predetermined quantity of liquid can be trapped therein, for example one-half /2) teaspoonful. That half teaspoonfu-l of liquid may be discharged by squeezing the domesh-aped member 14.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a small cup-shaped member 21 is formed integrally with one side of the domeshaped member 14, for receiving the open end 22 of member 18 when the same is not in use. The interior of the cup-shaped member is provided with a plurality of ridges 22 to form a seal around the outer end of the tubular member.

In Fig. 4 is shown a bottle 24 on which is mounted an elongated dome-shaped dropper cap 26. The cap 26 extends a substantial distance above the open mouth 27 of the bottle. A tubular member 28 is formed integrally with and extends from the apex of the member 26 and communicates with the interior thereof. Side walls 29 and 31 of the member 26 may be squeezed towards each other into engagement. By squeezing the side walls 29 and 31 into engagement, a predetermined quantity of liquid is ejected from the bottle 24.

The dropper bottles illustrated in the drawing and described above are subject to structural modification with out departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dropper bottle which comprises a hollow container having an open mouth, a hollow dome-shaped member of resilient yieldable material mounted on the open mouth of the container with the apex of the dome being spaced from the mouth of the container, there being an opening in the dome adjacent the apex, a sleeve member attached to the dome-shaped member and communicating with the opening therein, an elongated tubular member of flexible material slidably mounted in the sleeve with one end in the bottle, there being a funnelshaped head of predetermined size on the end of the tube located inside the bottle, said funnel-shaped head being above the level of liquid in the bottle when the bottle is inverted, whereby, when the bottle is set upright and is then inverted, a predetermined quantity of liquid is trapped in said funnel-shaped member, and, when the dome-shaped member is squeezed sufliciently to cause discharge of all the liquid in the tubular member, a pre- 0 determined quantity of liquid is discharged.

2. A dropper cap for a bottle which comprises a hollow dome-shaped member of resilient yieldable material having walls of substantially uniform thickness, the base of said dome-shaped member having an inwardly projecting fiangeyadapted to embrace and engage the outside of the neck of the bottle with the apex of the dome spaced from the mouth of the bottle, the dome having an opening at its apex, an elongated tube of flexible material attached to the dome and communicating with the opening, whereby, when the dome is squeezed, liquid is ejected through the tube in controllable amounts, and a cup-shaped member attached to one side of the domeshaped member, and having an inwardly directed annular rib on the inside thereof, the space between the rib and the adjacent wall of the dome-shaped member being substantially equal to the outside diameter of the tube, the free end of the'tube when inserted in the cup-shaped member being closed by squeezing between said rib and adjacent wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 487,088 Cooley Nov. 29, 1892 879,951 Elias Feb. 25, 1908 1,688,372 Barker 'Oct. 23, 1928 2,222,267 Schnabel Nov. 19, 1940 2,706,582 Flamm Apr. 19, 1955 

